Re-fillable lighters are known and their operation involves a straightforward push button action to open a valve, release gas from a tank and to ignite the gas by means of a spark. Also known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,417 is an ultra-thin cigarette lighter with a self retrieving safety mechanism which is simple and easy for an adult to operate and which can reliably prevent unintentional use of the lighter. Such a cigarette lighter operates by acting on a push button which opens a valve to release gas from a tank and activates a sparking means for igniting the released gas. The lighter has a "self-retrieving" safety mechanism which is simple and easy for an adult to operate and which can reliably prevent unintentional operation of the lighter, such as by a child. The safety mechanism is in the form of an elongated resilient bar provided at one end with an operating member located in a first short portion of a slot in the push button. Said safety mechanism having a normal position in which the safety device prevents operation of the push button by engaging an end portion of said first slot portion, and an operating position, to which the safety device can be moved by means of the operating member into a second slot portion in said push button of a longer length than said first slot portion and in which the push button can be operated, the safety device automatically returning to its normal position after use of the cigarette lighter.
The operation of the cigarette lighter of U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,417 is a two-step process.
Also known from U.S. Ser. No. 09/218174 is a cigarette lighter comprising;
a tank for a combustible gas under pressure; PA1 a valve which is normally closed to prevent gas from exiting the tank, but which can be opened to allow gas to escape from the tank through a nozzle; PA1 a valve actuator operable to open the valve; PA1 a spark means operable to produce a spark in the vicinity of the nozzle and cause ignition of gas escaping from the tank when the valve is opened by the valve actuator; PA1 a spark means holder having an upstanding extension; PA1 a push button operable by engagement of a user's finger to operate the valve actuator, open the valve and operate said spark means, and PA1 a movable safety device in the form of an elongated resilient bar provided at one end with a rotatable operating member and at the other end with an extension said safety device having a normal position, in which the safety device prevents operation of the push button by means of the extension engaging the end of the upstanding extension of the spark means holder, and an operating position, to which the safety device can be moved by rotation of the operating means, whereby the extension of the safety device is moved out of engagement with the end of the upstanding extension of the spark means holder simultaneously as the push button is pushed inwards so that the extension moves down the side of the upstanding extension, returning to its normal position after use of the cigarette lighter. PA1 a tank for a combustible gas under pressure; PA1 a body mounted on said tank; PA1 a wind shield mounted on the body; PA1 a valve which is normally closed to prevent gas from exiting the tank, but which can be opened to allow gas to escape from the tank through a nozzle; PA1 a valve actuator operable to open the valve; PA1 a flint holder in the body for holding a flint; PA1 a spark producer operable to rub against the flint to produce a spark in the vicinity of the nozzle and cause ignition of gas escaping from the tank when the valve is opened by the valve actuator; PA1 a lever connected to said valve actuator, wherein said lever is movable by a user's finger from a non-use position to a depressed position to cause the valve actuator to open the valve; and PA1 a safety device in the form of a resilient leg, a first end of which is attached to the lever and a second end of which, when said lever is in the non-use position, engages a surface of a block mounted in the body. PA1 Movement of the lever from the non-use position to the depressed position causes (1) the second end of the resilient leg to disengage from the surface of said block and (2) distortion of at least part of the flint holder. When said lever is released from said depressed position, the flint holder returns to its original condition and the lever returns to the non-use position whereby the second end of said safety device is reset to engage the surface of said block.